What Should Everyone be Aware of Certain Surprising Reasons for Heart Attacks?

According to experts, heart disease is linked to stress, sedentary lifestyles, and chronic conditions. However, you might be surprised to learn about all of these lesser-aware heart attack reasons.

Traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease include stress, a sedentary lifestyle, and disorders such as hypertension and diabetes. However, there might be lesser-known or surprising reasons for heart attacks that everyone should be aware of. Two cardiac specialists spoke with HT Digital on the non-traditional reasons for heart attacks.

1. Mouth bacteria

According to WebMD, periodontal disease-causing bacteria within the mouth can trigger swelling within the lining of your arteries, leading to fatty buildup as well as a heart attack.

2. Depression

Depression not only makes it difficult to find joy in everyday activities but also makes you feel hopeless, but it could also lead to a heart attack. It’s usually due to the way people who suffer from depression live.

“Those people who suffer from depression (are at risk of heart attack). Nobody thinks that a person suffering from depression may develop heart disease. Those who suffer from depression have a higher likelihood of developing lifestyle diseases. They follow a sedentary lifestyle, they do not exercise, and as a result, they are in a window of developing heart attack,” says Dr Jaswal.

3. Auto-immune illness

But young kids can have a heart attack because of an auto-immune condition, which no one is prepared for.

4. Cocaine

You are more likely to have a heart attack when you’re a drug user.

5. Loneliness

Loneliness is linked to stress and high blood pressure; therefore, you may be at risk for a heart attack when you have a few individuals in your life.

6. Coronary artery injury

This is a common reason for heart attacks in those under 50, and it is mostly found in females.

7. Coronary spasm

“It is also known as Prinzmetal angina. In this, the coronary artery goes in spasm, and it is usually transient, but when there is a spasm, it mimics a heart attack. This condition is witnessed majorly amongst smokers or when exposed to extreme cold and emotional stress,” says Dr Kulkarni.